The Power of Negotiation: How Sales Engineers Close Deals

Sales engineers often don’t think of themselves as having a critical role in negotiations. While salespeople have more responsibility when negotiating pricing and terms, SEs negotiate technical aspects of the deal, such as the scope of work, the timeline, and the level of support.

Many presales focus more on solving problems and pleasing people than getting the best deal for their company. As a result, they may be more likely to say yes to unreasonable requests, even requests from their sales teams.

During his DEMOFEST session earlier this year, John Care presented why sales engineers should think of themselves as negotiators. This article discusses how sales engineers can improve their careers by improving their negotiating skills. We’ll cover topics like understanding the different types of negotiations, setting clear goals, and managing expectations. We’ll also provide tips on building rapport with the other party and overcoming common objections.

As we dive into these best practices, sales engineers have much more to gain by becoming better negotiators. Sales engineers who are good negotiators not only get the best deal for their company. They close more deals, earn more commissions, and enjoy a more fruitful life personally and professionally.

Negotiation Terms

Sales engineers can use these negotiation terms to help them understand their own position, the other party’s position, and when it’s simply time to walk away. 

• BATNA: Best Alternative to a Negotiated Agreement. This is the next best option if the negotiation breaks down. The better your BATNA, the stronger your negotiating position. 
• WAP: Walk Away Point. This is the point at which you walk away from the negotiation. It is usually a number or a specific condition not in your best interests.

Here are some examples of BATNAs and WAPs:

• BATNA: You are negotiating a new job offer, and your BATNA is your current job. If you don’t get a good offer from the new company, you can always stay at your current job.
• WAP: You are negotiating the price of a new car, and your WAP is $36,000. If the dealer won’t sell the car for less than $36,000, you will walk away and buy a different vehicle.